What You Can't Touch
by Xenoglossy
Summary: Rogue's life told in fairy tales. Sometimes happily ever after isn't worth the effort. RemyRogue


_"Ah thought: Honey, this snake charmer is as close ta Prince Charming as you're evah gonna get..."_

**What You Can't Touch**  
_Cephied Variable_

* * *

_All little girls believe in fairy tales. Her's goes a little like this:_

Once upon a time there was a girl with a magic touch. She wasn't a princess- she was a simple farm girl with a common mother and a common father, neither of whom wanted anything to do with their "witch-child". One day a beautiful Sorceress with hair like the flame and golden eyes like the sun came for the girl. She took her away from the dreary countryside and let her live in a gorgeous castle. The girl was made princess of all the Sorceress' land and was granted whatever her heart desired as long as she did the Sorceress one favour. She had to use her magic touch on all the people the Sorceress brought to the castle.

For a time, the girl was happy. However, one day she got lost on her way to the dining hall and found herself in the deepest, darkest depths of the castle. In the dungeons, she saw many familiar faces- all of them men who she had touched, and all of them dead. Realizing the terrible truth of her magic touch, the girl proclaimed her power a curse and locked herself away in her bedroom. The Sorceress attempted to win her favour back with gifts and untold riches, but that night the girl stole away from the castle and fled to next Kingdom over.

This land was ruled by an old, kindly king who was wise beyond all compare. He took the young girl in and told her that she must never touch another person again, at least not until the secret of her curse was discovered. He promised the girl that he would find the cure and all throughout the Kingdom a great announcement was made: whichever man found the cure would recieve a thousand gold pieces and the girl's hand in marriage. In exchange for his help, the King made the girl promise she would fight for him as a royal Knight, since the Sorceress had taught her many powerful spells.

By now, the girl had grown into a beautiful young woman. Princes and knights and magicians and courtiers alike considered the quest, however, once they learned that her fingers brought death to whoever came close enough, they quickly reconsidered. The girl gave up hope that any man would be brave enough to love her.

On a cool, autumn evening a strange man waltzed into the castle. He wore a tattered, old coat, a debonair smile and between his fingers hung a cigarette. He leaned on his staff and proclaimed that he would be the one to find the cure.

"Who are you?" demanded the kindly King, for the man did not look the sort to perform heroic acts.

"A gentleman an' a thief." the stranger replied, and his eyes gleamed devilish red in the moonlight. Every word he spoke was silken snake-tongue in a peculiar, foreign accent.

"And what, exactly, is it that you steal?" asked the girl softly, intrigued by the thief's forward manner and garish apperance.

"Hearts." he answered simply, and then was gone.

Every day and every night for _months_, the girl awaited the theif's return. Once a week she recieved a letter in smudged, scrawled ink that spoke of fantastic deeds done in her name. All the courtiers told her that she should wait for a prince instead. _Thieves are nothing but criminals and liars_, they would say, _no matter what, he'll fail you in the end_. The girl refused to listen to them, however, for she had learned that only a thief could have the patience or will to steal the unstealable heart.

Finally, after two turns of the season, the thief returned against the glow of the sunset, just like he had come. He looked a little worse for the wear and something had changed in his devil-red eyes. He threw himself down at the girl's feet and said:

"I looked high and low and in unsavory places and all I learned was that there don't be no cure for you."

"But what about your letters?" the girl asked, startled.

"Every word of them, lies." the thief replied.

"Then why did you come back?" she demanded.

"I could steal all the gold in the world and it wouldn't be worth the price of your love. I told you before, I steal hearts and yours is the only one I want. The only one worth winning."

His words were sincere, and the girl considered him for a moment, "Even knowing knowing that if you touch me, you will die?" she wondered.

And he said: "It would be a touch worth dying for."

The girl realized, suddenly, that she was in love. It wasn't the right kind of love story, but after all she'd been through, it was enough. She took off one of her gloves off and reached out to touch the thief's forehead. However, at the last moment she hesitated, took a deep breath and pulled back.

She slid her glove back on and said to the thief: "I don't need what I can't touch."

_- and if that's how her fairy tale is going to end, perhaps it's time for Rogue to stop believing in them and start believing in herself. With an agonizing slowness, she turns around._

* * *

_"Girl, I'm sorry that I couldn' live up to ya expectations." "No, that's the saddest part of all, Remy. You were _exactly _what ah expected."_


End file.
